Some of my fondest musical memories have come on the other side of tired.
Those memories include many rehearsals (like tonight) when my students were exhausted from musical play practice. They include rehearsals I sang in as a college student, on top of nine or ten music classes, midterms, concerts, and so on. They include a particularly memorable homecoming concert after a three-week tour of Europe and 48 hours of nonstop travel home. (A story for another day.)
Why is being so tired so good for music-making?
I think it’s a combination of the following:
- You’re too tired for an ego filter, so you just do things without some of the fear that holds you back.
- You find it easier to fall into a flow state when you’re tired.
- You want to make the experience worthwhile, because you’re paying rest time to be there.
- Ensemble exhaustion can lead to a special camaraderie – something like bunker mentality.
Whenever I’m anticipating an extra-tired rehearsal, I weigh the value of canceling it. Sometimes it’s better to cancel and give my students some rest. But I also think of all these and other reasons why I should still hold it. Tired as we are, what might we gain in this special opportunity to sing together?